re: Problem with your graph
I agree. The past 25 years doesn't include the increase in population or the fact that the boomers have all grown up and have families living in those homes. As technology improved, so did the careers and wages, and nice homes in the suburbs and SUV's thrived.
Now a good deal of the population are in over their heads as they have used their equity putting their kids through college and paying off the first wife. They're being replaced by workers half their age are one accident, injury or personal family crisis away from disaster.
(Speaks from experience.)